LAIKA and Focus Join Forces for THE BOXTROLLS

Focus CEO James Schamus and LAIKA President & CEO Travis Knight officially announced today the start of THE BOXTROLLS, their third animated film project together after CORALINE (2009) and PARANORMAN (2012). Adapted from Alan Snow's bestselling fantasy adventure Here Be Monsters, THE BOXTROLLS will be directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable as a 3D stop-motion and CG hybrid animated feature - and is set to be released October 17, 2014. The film tells the fantastic tale of a group of dastardly misunderstood creatures from the village of Cheesebridge, a Victorian-era berg obsessed with wealth, class and stinky fine cheeses. While legend casts the oddball Boxtrolls as monsters who crawl out of sewers to steal children and cheese, they are in fact lovable cavern-dwelling denizens who have adopted a human boy, Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead-Wright). THE BOXTROLLS follows their valiant fight to save themselves and Eggs against the machinations of the villainous pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher (voiced by Ben Kingsley) who has unleashed a campaign to eradicate the Boxtrolls. In their fight, they are joined by a wealthy local girl called Winnie (voiced by Elle Fanning). Other voices include Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade and Tracy Morgan.

"THE BOXTROLLS is a visually dazzling mash-up of gripping detective story, absurdist comedy, and steampunk adventure with a surprisingly wholesome heart," expresses LAIKA's Knight. "It's Dickens by way of Monty Python. Tony and Graham have crafted a strange and beautiful world replete with fantastical creatures, good-for-nothing reprobates, madcap antics, and rip-roaring feats of derring-do. But at its core, like all LAIKA films, THE BOXTROLLS is a moving and human story with timelessness and powerful emotional resonance. We're thrilled to partner with Focus Features and Universal to bring this remarkable story to family audiences around the world." Focus CEO James Schamus shared his enthusiasm, adding, "Following our successful collaborations on PARANORMAN and CORALINE, we are delighted to be embarking on a third wondrous adventure with the LAIKA artisans who transform everyday materials into living creatures infused with dimension, humor, and soul. With a wonderfully appealing menagerie of fun characters, and a generous, open heart at its center, THE BOXTROLLS will be a must-see for family audiences."